Tainted Blood
by angedemusica
Summary: Wicked book fanfic. Liir tries to understand his feelings and tries to live with the truth about his mother and father. Okay, I can't write a summary to save my life, but trust me, I think this'll be a decent story.
1. The Peasant Rescues the Princess

_Yay! My first fanfic! I know it's short, but ya gotta start somewhere. Please review! I love constructive criticism._

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_Tainted Blood_  
Chapter 1 The Peasant Rescues the Princess

Liir wondered if she was okay. This girl who he had never met before had somehow taken a hold on his heart. Dorothy was the only girl he had ever met aside from Nor and a few girls in the care of Mother Yackle long ago. He couldn't help but worry for her. The woman he had known as Auntie Witch had shown herself to be someone to fear. Liir feared her. He didn't want her to hurt Dorothy.

He had to get to her.

The poor frightened Lion was cowering in a corner, shuddering in his fear and misery. _He will be no help_, thought Liir. _But I can do it. I'll save her._ He tried turning the handle of the door. Locked. _I'll have to break in._ He began to examine what was around him, hoping that he could find something that would help him.

There was nothing on the walls. The Witch did not enjoy ornamentation on her tower and there was nothing on the walls, save for an odd piece of glass that she kept hanging in her room and a shelf that held a book she often read while muttering words to herself that he could not understand. There was not much on the ground. Only a few straws from the Witch's broom and a blue plaid ribbon that he imagined must be Dorothy's. The straws he left. The ribbon he picked up and placed in the pocket of his shirt.

He heard shouting that he recognized as Auntie Witch's voice. The voices were followed by a whimpering plead that must have been Dorothy's. The whimpering was like setting gas to a match in Liir's heart. He wouldn't wait to find something. He had to get in there now. With every ounce of strength that he could find he hurled himself at the door, ramming it with his shoulder.

With each boom of his shoulder against the door, Liir's mind filled with thoughts. _This time, the Witch can't tell me to stay back and be quiet. _Boom._ Liir will win!_Boom._ And she will thank me._ Boom._ Dorothy will thank me, maybe even kiss me once again. _Boom._ She is like a princess, and the peasant will rescue her from this tower. _Boom. _I'll be a hero._

Liir's shoulder throbbed. He nearly cried out in pain, but he wouldn't stop. Finally, after what felt like thousands of anguishing blows, the door gave way. Liir collapsed onto the floor of the Witch's chamber, a small splash of water coming up from where he had landed.

"Liir!" Dorothy's panicked voice met his ears. He clumsily stood to his feet, splashes of water littering his side. He looked at Dorothy to make sure she was safe. She stood in a corner, shuddering violently and pointing at something on the floor. He looked to where he was pointing. There was a pile of wet black fabric that spurted steam around the brim of a pointed black hat. A singed broom lay nearby.

The Witch was dead.

After recovering from the initial shock of the scene, he turned to look again at Dorothy.

"I didn't mean to do it," she whispered. The shining shoes on her feet scrambled as she ran to him and threw her arms around him. She sobbed into his chest and squeezed him close. "I didn't mean to. It was an accident. I'm so sorry!"

Liir was stunned at the sudden display of emotion. A tear dripped down his cheek, not for the death of Auntie Witch, but for the sorrow Dorothy showed. Tenderly, he wrapped his arm around her back and stroked her soft brown pigtails. _Like spun silk_, he thought.

She continued to cry. Liir could feel the tears soaking through his shirt. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "It's okay. You didn't mean to. I'm here."


	2. The Frightening Lullaby

_Okay, here's the dealio… I worked on editing the story around May of 2005 for English, and now I am FINALLY putting it up! INCLUDING CHAPTER 3! (Yay, Lotte! (That is what I wish to go by now. Please.) But anyway, I think it's a lot better now. Hopefully those of you who read it will like it better too! More notes Ch. 3._

_Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Wicked or any related thingys. Dammit. That sux._

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**Chapter 2: The Frightening Lullaby**

Liir herded the shuddering figure of Dorothy to the tower door. He had to get her out of there so she could calm down. Otherwise she would be more upset than she already was.

The pair walked down the staircase in a slow, solemn fashion, as if they were walking to a funeral march that could only be heard by them.

Eventually, Dorothy's sobs calmed into a soft snuffling and her tear-stained face slowly lifted from the safety of Liir's shirt to the frightening world around her. When they came upon the Lion, shaking in a corner, she bounded to him and clutched his neck. Liir felt a feeling of emptiness at the spot where she had been clinging to him.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!" Dorothy whimpered to the Lion. "I hope you're not hurt!"

The attention Dorothy showered upon the Lion made the green anger of jealousy surge through Liir's veins. His skin tingled with the need for her attention. True, he was just an Animal, but Liir had just rescued her. Shouldn't _he_ be the one she showed affection to? Shouldn't _he_ be the one she should be glad was all right? He had to stop this.

"Dorothy, come on," urged Liir. "Nanny will fix you something to eat, and we'll find you a bed so you can rest. You need it."

She turned her head toward him, still stroking the Lion's mane. "Could the Lion come wi- Liir! You're… you're… green!" She shrank back against the wall, eyes wide as if she had just seen a ghost.

Liir quickly dropped his gaze to his hands. They were a rich shade of emerald with a pattern of darker, forest green diamonds. His shock made him completely forget about his jealousy of the Lion. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. _I must be delirious_, he thought. When he opened his eyes again, the green was gone, replaced with his usual light shade of tan.

Liir breathed a deep sigh of relief. "You're just tired, Dorothy. Come on, it's getting late. You need to rest." He offered her his hand, but she looked at it as though it were a snake. _Was I… dreaming? I shouldn't be so silly! Liir wasn't green. He's right. I just need some rest. _She put her delicate hand into his and grasped it tightly, giving him a sweet smile.

"P-please." The Lion had yet to have spoken, and the sudden sound made Liir and Dorothy jump. "P-please, may I h-have some d-dinner, too?" the Lion stuttered.

Liir was tempted to say no, but Dorothy looked up at him with such a pleading look that he gave in almost instantly.

He sighed. "Of course. You are a guest to this house." He tugged Dorothy along behind him while the Lion followed a few steps behind.

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Liir, Dorothy, and the Lion filed into the old woman's room where she sat, rocking in her chair and staring at the wall. When she saw them enter, she stood from her chair. "Liir!" she croaked, seeing his bruised shoulder and Dorothy's blotchy red face. "What happened?" She paused, examining the group. "Where is Elphaba?"

Tears returned to Dorothy and her breathing came in short gasps again. She clutched Liir's shirt, burying her face once again. Liir held her and turned his head to Nanny. "Could we just get her something to eat and a place to sleep? I'll explain later."

Nanny cracked into top speed, despite the fact that even then she moved at a snail's pace. She shoved Liir away from Dorothy and hugged her. "There there, sweetie. It's okay. Nanny will take care of you. It's okay." She turned to Liir and her voice switched from a soothing maternal tone to the sharp voice of a bitter old woman. "Help us get to the kitchen, boy. My body isn't what it used to be." So once again, Liir was the head of a rather strange parade to yet another part of the house.

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Dorothy was huddled underneath a blanket in an old armchair that had belonged to Sarima, the woman that Dorothy was told had once lived in the house. Her knees were hugged close to her body. She was clutching a small cup of tea between her hands and sipped it occasionally. The Lion lay curled up at the foot of the chair, basking in the warmth of the nearby fireplace.

"I didn't mean to do it, " whispered Dorothy.

"I know you didn't but that witch deserved what she got!" growled the Lion. "Why, if I had been there, I'da shown here who's boss." He flipped the tip of his tail and growled.

Dorothy smiled weakly. "I know you would," she whispered, even though she was fully aware of his gentle, cowardly nature. She sipped a little tea and her grin faded. "But I feel so bad. I didn't mean to kill her. I only tried to help."

The Lion stood and nuzzled Dorothy's hand. "You need some sleep. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning."

Dorothy nodded. "You're probably right. Good night." She gingerly stepped onto the rug and walked slowly to the bed as one of Nanny's old nightgowns softly swished around her ankles. She folded back the thick red wool blanket and cotton sheet before she crawled in and pulled the blankets back up around her shoulders. She snuggled her head into the pillow and closed her heavy eye-lids. Her lullaby was a purring Lion, the occasional crack of the fire, and the echoing screams of a dying witch.

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"Liir, stop trying to hide things from Nanny. She wants to know. What happened up in that tower?"

Liir held a ball of yarn and sat at the foot of the bed as Nanny continued working on the creation of a casket cover and badgering Liir for information.

"I don't think that you understand what you want, Nanny," replied Liir.

"But I do!" Nanny whined. "I wanna know what happened!" She accented each word with a stomp of her foot.

Liir sighed. Similar exchanges of words had been passed for the last hour. There would be no victory over this stubborn old woman. He caved in. "Alright. You win." He set the yarn down on the bed next to him. "Nanny… umm… Auntie Witch is… dead."

"W-what?" Nanny's eyes widened in shock as she stopped her work. "_Dead?_"

Liir nodded slowly.

"But… but… how?"

"Dorothy says that Auntie's dress had caught on fire, so Dorothy tried to help but throwing a bucket of water on her to put out the flames. When the water hit her, she… _melted._ It was an accident."

Nanny lifted her trembling fingers to cover her mouth. "Oh, Elphie," she whispered. "You were always so scared of the water." She rocked slowly in her chair. The room was silent for a minute or two.

The silence was broken when Liir heard a shout. "No! No! Please!" He recognized it as Dorothy's voice. He leaped up and ran to her room, throwing the door open. The Lion was fast asleep on the floor. _The stupid Lion can't even help her handle a nightmare_, he thought. He tiptoed to her bedside. She was squirming and crying.

He gently shook her shoulder. "Dorothy. Dorothy, wake up," he told her. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Liir," she whispered. "I was so scared." She started bawling. He sat next to her on the bed and held her.

"What? What happened, Dorothy?"

She gasped for air in between her attempts to speak. "There were – bright red – shoes and – then there were – flames – flames everywhere – but I was drowning – the water – burned my skin – and – and…" She couldn't go on. Her crying was making her hold body shake violently.

Liir shushed her with gentle concern. "It's okay. It was just a dream. Go back to sleep."

"I can't… I don't want to be here alone…"

"But you won't be alone." He glared disapprovingly at the Lion, still sound asleep despite the noise. "You'll have _him_."

She followed his gaze. "As much of a dear, sweet friend he is to me, he isn't much help."

"Then I'll stay with you." Liir gently grasped her soft hand in his.

She smiled. "Thank you." With that, she nestled her head onto the pillow and closed her eyelids, her eyelashes creating shadowy butterflies on her cheek. Liir watched her breathing into the peaceful, steady tempo of sleep. Bending over her slowly, he kissed her softly on her ivory forehead. _So soft_, he thought. He longed to kiss her again, but dared not for fear that she would awake from her sleep.

He removed his hand from hers and rested her arm across her stomach. Before he closed the door, he turned again to look at her. _She looks like an angel. _As he shut the door slowly, he whispered, "Sleep well, my precious."


	3. Crimson

I realized something a moment ago… it's not quite as dramatic as I had planned! But I promise, IF the story continues on for a while, it will get better. I just have a fondness for fluff! Yay fluff. ((sighs)) Fluff is fun. But here's a note to my lovely friends who have reviewed Ch. 2 (the original, anyway…)

_LesMisLoony: Neverfear! The Tin Man and Scarecrow have RETURNED! (yay!)_

_Zazzie: Ya! Liir and Dorothy are great together. I loved it in the book and though I should put it in my fic._

_L. M. Ward: Yes… Liir is a bit obsessive, isn't he? But then again, you must excuse me. I was a phan (Phantom of the Opera fan) first and foremost, so obsession is something I am definitely familiar with._

_Kennedy Leigh Morgan, Dave the L's gal, Lils, and blushingbeauty86: Thanks so much for reviewing!_

_Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't even ask._

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**Ch. 3: Crimson**

Nanny was in the kitchen making coffee when Dorothy tiptoed down the stairs. She was wearing a lavender bathrobe over the pajamas that had been loaned to her.

"Umm... Nanny?" she asked timidly.

Nanny's head turned away from the brewing coffee. She smiled with her crooked, wrinkly grin. "Good morning, dear! Sleep well?"

"Not exactly," she murmured under her breath. "Nanny, have you seen my dress? I left it near my bed, but I can't seem to find it."

"Oh, the odd-looking blue one?" Nanny replied as she fetched some cups from the cupboard. "I washed it. It should be about done drying. Hold on a minute." Nanny walked out the door and returned a minute or two later with the clean dress folded neatly in her arms. She handed it to Dorothy who examined the fabric and how nice it felt since it was finally clean.

Nanny poured coffee into each of the two porcelain cups and offered one to Dorothy. "Just have a cup of coffee with me and then you can change."

Dorothy took the cup and followed Nanny to the table. She remembered it as the table they had dined at the previous day before... she didn't even want to think of that now. She sat near the old woman in an awkward silence for a few minutes until Nanny finally spoke. "So are you enjoying your stay in Kiamo Ko, dear?"

Dorothy shifted a little in her chair. She did not want to insult the woman's home. She did like Kiamo Ko. It was a landscape very different from Kansas. Gazing out any window over Kiamo Ko took her breath away. But she was far from having a good time.

Before Dorothy could even try to answer, Nanny answered for her. "I can see you are not. Tell Nanny what is the matter."

Dorothy began to sniffle a little and wiped the sleeve of her robe underneath her eyes. "I am worried about my friends, the scarecrow and tin man. Do you know what happened to them?"

"Oh, them?" Nanny replied. She grinned. "They're fine, dearie. They're probably still resting out in the barn. You may visit them after you dress, if you would like."

"Oh, thank you," Dorothy gasped in a relieved voice. "And thanks for the coffee." She handed Nanny the empty cup.

"Anytime, sweetie."

Dorothy nearly skipped up the stairs to her room. The Lion would be so pleased to hear that their friends were safe.

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"Scarecrow! Look!"

The weary scarecrow lazily opened his eyes and lifted his head from the cot. "Hey! I was sleeping! What's so important that you had to wake me up?"

"Look!" repeated the Tin Man. "It's the Lion!" He pointed his metal finger towards the open window that overlooked a dirt path leading to the barn where they were staying. Every hinge on his body rattled with excitement.

The Scarecrow stood so rapidly that he received a rush of straw to the head, leaving him momentarily dizzy. "Really?" He moved near his iron friend to look. Sure enough, he could see a tan figure bounding along the path.

The Tin Man flung the doors open and stepped outside to meet their comrade. The Lion was just a few feet away when the doors opened and skidded to a stop, yelping and nearly knocking everyone over in the process.

Panting for breath, he turned his gaze upward to meet the eyes of his taller, two-legged friends. "You're safe! Thank goodness!"

"I'm glad you're okay," the Tin Man sighed. "We were worried about you and…" his voice faded.

"Where is Dorothy?" asked the Scarecrow, his eyes darting nervously.

"She's fine. She's just getting dressed." The Lion sat down in the dirt, exhausted from his efforts of running so fast. "But I need to know… how did you guys get here? We feared the worst."

"Both of us thought we were lost for good. But then this boy came along and picked me up. He oiled my hinges and took me here to rest." The Tin Man pointed behind them to the makeshift home in the barn.

"And he stuffed me with fresh straw," added the Scarecrow. "Pudgy fellow. Thought he would faint from the effort of dragging my parts and putting them together. Nice guy, though. What was his name, Tinny?"

"I told you not to call me that!" the Tin Man groaned. "I think it started with an L… Louis, Leonardo, Laverne…"

"Larry! That was it!" cried the Scarecrow in triumph. He imagined that to figure that out, he must have a brain somewhere.

The Lion recognized their description. "Oh, you mean Liir?"

The Scarecrow's face fell. "Oh. Yeah. That too."

"Hello?" The trio heard a voice calling from down the path. "Hello?"

"Speaking of the devil," said the Tin Man. Sure enough, Liir came into view mere seconds later. He approached them with an air of reluctance.

"Hi," he said. "Umm… If you want you can all come to the house for a while. You can eat lunch or something. Dorothy… well, she'd like that I guess."

"Food?" The Lion looked excited and started trudging down the trail, the rest of the pack following shortly behind.

"You always think about food," the Tin Man criticized.

"That's because he's not afraid of it," replied the Scarecrow.

_Idiots_, thought Liir as he silently trailed a few feet behind the other three. _They can't possibly serve as decent protection for Dorothy. Maybe I could. She says she wants to go back to the Emerald City. I can try to keep her here. It'll be safe. That way she won't run into any of that other trouble around Oz. _

They finally made it back to the house. Dorothy must have been watching at the window because she flew out of the door the minute they came into sight. She hugged the Scarecrow, then the Tin Man. "Oh, I'm so glad." A tear of relief sank down her face.

Liir looked at her and smiled. _She's been through so much that would bring her tears of despair. I've helped to bring her something that brings her tears of joy._ His smile faded as he watched the friends together. _But maybe not. She's happy for them. Not me. Maybe she doesn't need me. _He turned and walked off toward the house.

A few seconds later, he heard a voice call out. "Liir! Liir, wait!" He turned to see Dorothy running towards him, her pigtails dancing in the breeze. She slowed to a walk and approached him.

"Thank you," she whispered. Her crimson lips met his cheek, and he turned an identical shade of that welcome crimson color.


	4. Stones, Cakes, and Kisses

_Hello to everyone! And now for chapter four… muahaha. Kinda sorta pointless-ish, but it's cute and fluffy and still sad, so I hope it's okay anyway. I also wish to apologize for Lirr's whining. He's kinda sorta starting to irritate me, but it'll get better. I promise._

_I have become aware that the book Son of a Witch is now available. I will read it eventually, but I want to let you know that this story started before I knew about that book and that it should have no influence on my fanfic. Any possible similarities as of right now or in the future are accident._

_Also, I realized a few days ago that I completely forgot Toto! Please forgive me. PLEASE, let me know if it would be better to just pretend he was never there or to add him in next chapter._

_Thanks to those who reviewed. Please, I love constructive criticism. Let me know how I can make my story better for you!_

_Blufair: I'm glad you like the whole Liir/Dorothy interaction. I do too. I hope the plot does interest you, although admittedly it may take a while to actually get rolling. Thanks for reading!_

_Lils: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any aspect of it other than this fanfic. ((cries))_

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**Chapter 4: Stones, Cakes, and Kisses**

The sun began to rise over Kiamo Ko. They had been there a month. Despite the hospitality and kindness of Liir and Nanny, there was an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Dorothy's stomach that grew stronger all of the time.

After she had dressed and washed, Dorothy gloomily walked down to the kitchen where her friends were already deeply immersed in eating. Scarecrow was the first to notice her arrival. "Good morning, Dorothy!" He waved his tattered glove and smiled.

Dorothy gave only a faint, pained grin and waved her hand wearily. She proceeded to the window and stared out with wide eyes that hardly blinked.

Nanny emerged from the kitchen smiling brightly. "Oh! Good morning Dorothy! I made breakfast!" Liir had followed close behind her and was nearly buckling under the weight of an enormous tray laden with food. "Oh, I found the most wonderful recipe the other day for biscuits! And of course, I wanted you to try some of my famous pancakes and my wonderful oatmeal. Breakfast is, after all, the most important meal of the day. I've always felt that a good meal can make or break how well a day goes…"

Nanny continued rambling on for a few minutes. She did not notice Dorothy's sober mood until she realized she was being met with silence. When she finally did figure things out, the lines on her face became etched even deeper with concern.

She gestured for Liir to set the tray on the table, which he promptly did in silence as he listened to what went on around him. Nanny gently grasped Dorothy's arm and led her to a chair at the table. "Dorothy, is everything alright?" she whispered worriedly.

Dorothy shook her head slowly. A small tear left a shining trail from her eye to her chin. "I want to go home," she mumbled in a voice that was barely audible.

Nanny nodded. "Alright." She placed a plate and a biscuit in front of Dorothy. "Just eat something first."

By now the Lion, Scarecrow, and Tim Man had looked up from their food long enough to realized how distraught Dorothy was. They crowded around. "Do we hafta leave?" whined the Lion. "The way to the Emerald City is full of tigers and bears and –"

There was a dull thud of a cloth glove against a furry head. "Shut up, twit! Can't you see she misses her home?"

"Both of you shut up!" The Tin Man gave them both a cold, metallic stare. The Lion and Scarecrow immediately went mute. "Thank you," sighed the Tin Man. "Now look, Dorothy wants to go. So we'll go. End of story. Got it?"

The two nodded enthusiastically, afraid of provoking the Tin Man's anger. "Good," replied their iron companion.

The following silence was so thick that you could swim in the tension that accumulated.

"So I'll pack sandwiches for everyone, then!" Nanny's sudden exclamation made everyone jump. Many pairs of eyes glared at her as she hobbled through the kitchen door, humming a merry tune.

Dorothy looked up her friends with puffy eyes. "So you don't mind? We can go?"

"Of course," purred the lion, resting a fluffy paw on her kneecap.

"That's what we set out to do, so we'll keep going," added the Scarecrow.

"Don't worry. You'll be home before you know it," the Tin Man reassured her.

For the first time that morning, Dorothy gave a genuine grin. Small, but heartfelt. "Thank you," she whispered. They all wrapped her in hugs, engulfing her with their kindness and warmth.

In all of the events of the morning, no one even noticed that Liir had gone.

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Plink! Plop!

One by one, a series of pebbles splashed into the creek. They flew with such force that a person would have trouble believing that the person throwing them was as small boy of merely fourteen, sitting upon an old wooden bench.

Liir's face was blotchy. The skin on his face was still slightly moist. How could I have been so stupid? He thought. She had kissed him. Twice. Didn't that mean something? Whenever she had a nightmare, she trusted him to stand guard, and she had fallen asleep with her hand safe in his. Didn't that mean something? Over that week, her smiles grew and they filled his heart until he thought that it would burst. Didn't that mean something? But now she wants to leave. She wants to get away from me. No, he thought as he bitterly threw another pebble into the creek, I guess none of that meant anything.

Liir let out a small cry. All of his attempts to remain strong shattered. He buried his head in his arm, slumping to the ground and sobbing.

It was only a few brief moments later that Liir's crying faded into a small sniffle, but it felt as though he had cried for hours. He laid there on the ground and stared at the sky, exhausted both physically and emotionally.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not notice the sun beginning to set. He did not notice the distant calls of his name. He did, however, notice a faint snapping of a twig a few yards behind him.

Reality gave him a hard slap in the face. He stood upright and gave his head a rush of blood. Then he started to worry. It was after nightfall and he was at least a mile from the manor. You never knew what kind of creatures you could expect in the wilderness of the Vinkus. Was there some creature lurking in the shadows, waiting to prey upon him? He listened for any sound that would tell him what was there or what he should do. The being in the shadows startled and upset him more than a wild animal would.

"Liir?" Her voice came softly, like a timid whisper. Liir clenched his fist. And settled back down on the old, moss-covered bench where he had been earlier.

"Liir, is that you?" Dorothy's figure appeared from the trees at Liir's side, silhouetted in the twilight.

He made no reply.

She approached him slowly with the air of a lost traveler wandering into a bears den. She

cautiously set herself on the bench next to her, and it creaked with old age under the weight of another person. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you all day. We were all worried sick. Nanny suggested that I try looking for you up here. What have you been doing?"

Liir did not respond. He merely stared straight ahead at the water of the creek.

Dorothy rested her hand gently, but he twitched. Her hand recoiled as though she had been burnt. "What's wrong Liir?"

He took a deep, shuddering breath before giving an answer. "Why don't you like it here?"

His words wounded her. "I do. It's just that –"

"It's just that you want to leave. I get it." He turned his face so that she could not see his eyes begin to water.

"Liir, I miss Kansas. I miss my family, and they will probably be missing me by now. I need to be home."

"Then leave. I'll take you back to the house, and tomorrow morning, you can go. You don't have to come back." He stood and made his way to the path. She followed him. "I wouldn't want to stay with me either," he added very quietly to himself.

But she heard.

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Liir could not fall asleep that night. As much as he tried, there was too much on his mind to do anything but stare at the ceiling and think it all through. He thought about her, and remembered the past month.

He remembered the time that Dorothy had tried to bake a cake. The kitchen had ended up covered in flour, eggs, and various other ingredients. Smoke filled the room when the cake caught on fire. The Scarecrow had to run down to the well and grab a bucket of water to put out the flames.

Liir smiled to himself when he thought of her in the kitchen, covered in ingredients and crying over a black mass that she held in her arms. He had tasted a piece of the cake just to try to cheer her up, but he had tried hard not to spit it right back out. She was so grateful at his attempt to please her that she hugged him and threw the sad excuse for a dessert out the window. Not even the crows would peck at that rocklike cake. He had been so sure the look of gratitude in Dorothy's eyes had meant something more. But I guess not, he thought.

It was late and, for the first time that month, Liir did not hear Dorothy cry out from a nightmare. In fact the whole house was as silent as the grave. It disappointed him that he would not have the sight of her face or the sound of her breathing to soothe him into sleep.

He tried counting sheep to fall asleep. Around the ten thousandth sheep, he heard a soft knock on the door. A faint ray of light struck the room from the dim glow of a candle as the door hinges creaked open.

It was Dorothy.

"Liir?" she whispered. He was laying still with his back turned away, pretending to sleep. He could no face her.

She approached him slowly, almost fearfully. He listened to the soft thud of her shoes against the floor. Those shoes had given everyone so much grief and would still not be removed from her feet, no matter how much any of them tried. Dorothy silently cursed the shoes and their hard soles for making so much noise on the wooden floor of Liir's room. While part of her desperately wanted him to turn around and know she was there, another part of her was scared to death and hoped that he would not even realize she had been there at all.

The light of her candle fell on Liir's head, illuminating his dark hair with strands of gold. She took a deep breath before stumbling blindly over all of the words that wanted so badly to rush from her mouth.

"Liir… I'm sorry. You must hate me for all that I've done. I never tried to hurt anyone. You've been so… nice to me. And I repay you by saying that I want to leave. Even though I killed – well, I still don't really understand who she was – but the point is, you forgave me. I just want you to know – " She took in a shuddering breath. " – I do care about you Liir. Out of all the great and wonderful things I have found in Oz…" She choked back a sob. "… I believe I will miss you most of all. Since you're asleep, you probably haven't heard a word of this, but I needed to say it. Well… good night." She turned away. Her hair, for once left down instead of in pigtails, swished around her shoulders. The pat of her shoes moved away from the bed. Dorothy reached for the knob to pull the door shut as she left, but a sound behind her made her turn.

Liir was sitting up in his bed with his feet on the ground, staring at his slippers. "I just wanted to say…" He raised his watery eyes to meet hers. His voice came out in barely a whisper. "I love you."

There are moments in life where words become useless. Emotions are clearer than speaking. Everything falls into place in those moments. There was nothing more right for the pair than that point in time when two pairs of lips met in a kiss that made them both weep with the overwhelming emotion of love. It was a kiss that lifted their souls and filled them with strength and joy.

When they finally drew apart, Liir took Dorothy's hand in his before she fetched her candle and went back to the door. Softly, it clicked shut behind her. Liir laid down in his bed and closed his eyes.

For the first time that night, Liir was able to sleep. For the first time in weeks, Dorothy was not plagued with horrible nightmares.

And, if only for a little while, life was sweet.

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The next morning, Dorothy's friends were stuffing their faces with Nanny's food for a final time. Dorothy hardly ate and excused herself from the table early. She sent Liir a pleading look on her way out and he quickly excused himself as well.

Nanny, the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tim Man only followed them with their eyes. As Dorothy and Liir left, a heavy silence filled the room.

The Scarecrow was the first to comment. "So… what's with them?"

"Beats me." The Tin Man put a drop of oil onto his ankle hinges. "Maybe they both caught some kind of bug and feel sick."

"No, if that were the case we could tell. Dorothy has such a fair complexion that illness would make her look like a ghost," the Lion pointed out before beginning to eat another slice of bacon.

"Ya' nutters, can't you see that want to be alone?" Nanny sighed. "Honestly. It should be painfully obvious."

"Umm… wait. If they both left, how can they be alone?" The Scarecrow scratched his head."Because that doesn't make sense and –"

"You really don't have a brain, do you?" The Tin Man shook his head in disbelief. "They wanted to be together, without all of us."

"Oh." The Scarecrow's face fell. "I knew that."

"Maybe we should go after them," suggested the Lion, "and make sure they're okay."

"No, just leave them alone." Nanny cleared some plates from the table. "You can all help me do dishes instead."

Despite the curiosity that was eating away at the trio, they agreed and were soon elbow deep in soap suds.


End file.
